SKIPTON Auction Mart’s fortnightly store sheep sale last Wednesday attracted another solid turnout of 4,775 head.

It comprised 4,517 store lambs and 258 breeding sheep, which sold to a crowded ringside at an overall average of £57.53 per head, on a par with trade at the previous sale.

Beltex store lambs produced the day’s top per head price of £72 for a pen from Bentham’s Robert Garth, also achieving the leading breed average of £64.94. Mr Garth was also responsible for the top-priced £76 per head Mule gimmer lambs.

Other store lamb breed averages and top prices were: Suffolk - average £58.04 (top £69.50 MG Tomlinson); Texel – £57.45 (£67.20 E&AM Simpson); Mule – £51.40 (£55.50 Swinbank & Briggs); Charollais – £57.16 (£58 Mac Iveson Partners); and Cheviot – £51.67 (£54.50 L Woodcock).

Breeding sheep customers were keen to source ewes for early tupping and, regardless of age, as long as the ewes were strong then there were plenty of takers. Texel shearlings led the trade when selling to a high of £155 each. The pick of the rams was a 500gns Charollais from Skipton regular Robert Towers, of Farleton.

The mart reports that more buyers are now getting ready to take longer keep lambs, while seasonal customers will also be looking for Suffolk-x-Mule gimmer lambs in early September.

An entry of between 6,000 and 8,000 head is anticipated for the next fortnightly sale on Wednesday, which will be a busy week at Skipton.

Also on the agenda are two other breeding sheep fixtures – the annual prize show and sale of Mule, Texel and Continental-cross shearling gimmers on Tuesday, along with the annual show and sale of two-shear and over breeding ewes next Friday, August 22. The day also features a sale of Suffolk, Texel and Continental breeding rams.